Powered for Change 2025

In brief

From isolated projects to multigenerational transformation

• One-off pilots won’t decarbonize industry fast enough – With heavy industry lagging on 2050 climate goals, companies must shift from isolated projects to a multigenerational, portfolio-driven approach that compounds learnings, standardizes and modularizes components and encourages innovation.
  
  
• Scaling up unlocks cost efficiencies – Our research confirms that early low-carbon investments, though expensive, become cost-competitive as continuous learning and efficiencies take hold.
  
  
• AI drives compounding efficiencies – Beyond accelerating projects, AI preserves institutional knowledge and ensures every initiative builds on past insights to drive sustained cost reductions.

Breaking through: Applying a multigenerational approach

To overcome persistent barriers like cost volatility, supply chain fragility and execution gaps, our research identifies four key levers for industrial leaders:

• Scale efficient, resilient supply chains – Minimize cost volatility and shorten lead times by building cohesive supply chain partnerships that use standardized designs and modularized components.
  
  
• Foster community support and customer demand – Align decarbonization efforts with community needs, earning stakeholder buy‐in while accelerating project approvals.
  
  
• Rethink talent, skilling and workflows – Tap the potential of gen AI to reimagine skilling and how work gets done—breaking down traditional siloes, automating repetitive workflows and empowering people to focus on the most meaningful, valuable tasks.
  
  
• Establish a strong digital core to power AI learnings – Integrate AI, digital twins and ESG tracking across project portfolios, enabling real‐time transparency and learnings that drive compounding cost reductions and innovation.

From ambition to execution

Industrial decarbonization is no longer just about commitment—it’s about execution.

Companies that embed a multigenerational strategy will unlock compounding cost efficiencies, secure competitive advantage and drive industrial transformation. The defining challenge of the next 25 years will be execution—scaling the lessons learned from fragmented initiatives into a self-sustaining, economically viable transformation.

This shift is already happening. Leading companies are leveraging AI-driven supply chains, standardizing best practices and generating market demand—proving that industrial decarbonization is not only a sustainability initiative, but a growth driver. Early movers will capture the financial potential of the next industrial era.

Now is the time to act. From hydrogen to electrification, carbon capture and next-generation supply chains, early movers will define the next industrial era. Contact us today to learn more about how your company can achieve its goals through data and AI.